Ghana: Nigerian boxer Gabriel Olanrewagu collapses in ring at Bukom arena

A tragic incident occurred at the Bukom Boxing Arena on Saturday night during the Bel 7Star Ghana Professional Boxing League when Nigerian boxer Gabriel Aluwasegun Olanrewagu collapsed in the ring while facing off against 22-year-old Ghanaian contender Jonathan Mbanugu. Despite immediate medical assistance, Gabriel was taken to the hospital, where he unfortunately succumbed to his condition.

A heartbreaking event has shaken the boxing world as Gabriel Aluwasegun Olanrewagu, a light heavyweight boxer from Nigeria, collapsed in the ring during a professional match in Accra.

He was later declared dead at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in the early hours of Sunday, March 30.

The bout, an international eight-round contest organized by Osibor Boxing Promotions, was in its third round when tragedy struck.

The fighters were engaged in an intense exchange of jabs when Gabriel suddenly stepped back, lost his footing, and fell heavily to the canvas.

Referee Richard Amevi quickly recognized that Gabriel was unresponsive, stopping the mandatory count and summoning the ring doctor and emergency medical team.

Known as “Success,” Gabriel Olanrewagu was a 40-year-old orthodox boxer hailing from Lagos, Nigeria. His professional record included 23 fights, with 13 victories, 8 defeats, and 2 draws.

Since making his debut on July 30, 2019, he had fought a total of 99 rounds, achieving an impressive 92.31% knockout rate.

He was ranked 448th globally and 7th in Nigeria among 43 light heavyweight boxers.

His opponent, Jonathan “Power for Power” Mbanugu, a 22-year-old orthodox fighter from Accra, Ghana, boasted a strong record of 14 fights, with 12 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw, maintaining a perfect knockout rate since his debut on December 24, 2023.

He is currently ranked 352nd in the world and 12th among 42 light heavyweights in Ghana.

According to sources from the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) and Osibor Boxing Promotions, an official report has been submitted to the Ghana Police Service, and the Nigeria Boxing Authority has been informed of the incident.

Gabriel’s body has been taken to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, where it awaits an autopsy.